Paper Planes

Special Chapter 2

A/N: Huwag po kayong malito sa unang tagpo. This is just another take on Reign and Yuujin's conversation. But what was written on the Epilogue prevails. *mwah*

SPECIAL CHAPTER

I choked up a grunt as my back hit the hard wall of Attorney Moritake's house.

"Anong kailangan mo sa anak ko, gago ka?!" Untag nito matapos akong idiin at hatakin paitaas.

Damn, this man's fucking strong! If I weren't feeling this weak, he wouldn't have been able to pull me up so easily.

"Wala akong masamang intensiyon kay Aya," nasabi ko pa rin.

"And do you expect me to readily believe your words?" Isang malakas na diin pa nito bago ako pinakawalan, "Layuan mo ang anak ko!"

"I can't do that, Attorney."

He maintained his sharp stares as he clenched his fists.

"I'm not giving you any options here, boy. I'm telling you, leave her alone," he said between gritted teeth with emphasis on each word.

"And I'm telling you, I can't."

Mabilis niya akong itinulak at at muling isinampa sa dingding.

"Ginagago mo ba ako? Kukusa ka ba, o, gusto mong kumbinsehin kita sa pamamagitan ng dahas?"

"Tatanggapin ko kahit na anong kapalit, hayaan niyo lang ako sa tabi ni Aya," matapang kong tugon na lalong nagpaliyab ng galit sa kanya.

"For what? For you to hurt her? I'd kill you first before you get to do that, you ingrate!"

"I would never hurt her. I'd also kill anyone who dares," walang takot kong sagot.

Ilang sandali niya pa akong matalim na tinitigan bago marahas na pinakawalan. Pinagpagan ko ang mga lupang dumikit sa aking pantalon at inayos ang nagusot na t-shirt. Tsaka ko lang napansin ang mumunting mga butas nito malapit sa mga manggas. I inwardly sighed. If I knew I was meeting her father once again, I would have worn a better shirt.

"Tell me..."

Kaagad akong humarap nang narinig siyang muling nagsalita. Nakahalukipkip na ito at may paghahamon sa kanyang mga titig.

"What do you really want from my daughter?"

May munti mang kaba, alam kong kailangan kong iparating sa kanya, bilang ama ni Aya, ang tunay kong hangarin para sa kanyang anak.

"Malinis ang hangarin ko para kay Aya," panimula ko at agad nakitaan ng inis ang mukha nito, "Gusto ko po siyang ligawan-"

Hindi ko pa natatapos ang sasabihin, tumama na sa mukha ko ang kanyang kamao.

"My daughter is just fourteen years old, you sick bastard! Huwag mo siyang isama sa listahan ng mga babae mo!"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa narinig.

"You think I wouldn't know about your little reputation at the mango farm, hmm? Kilala ka bilang matinik sa mga babae, hayop ka! Huwag mong idamay ang anak ko sa libog mo!" Asik nito.

Itinikom ko ang aking bibig at sandaling natahimik. I knew that at one point everything I've done in the past, every fucked up thing, would come back to haunt me.

But Aya is my everything now. She's my sanity... I'd be more fucked up if I lose her again.

"Iba si Aya sa mga naging babae ko-"

"That's why you wanted to try her, too?" Attorney Moritake hissed.

Umiling ako.

"I love her. I'd do anything for her, to ensure her safety, to keep her happy--"

"You love her? Really? You've known her for, what, a year or two? Talked to her for about an hour a day on the average? Kid, you don't even really know my daughter and you expect me to believe your shallow feelings for her?"

Magsasalita na sana ako nang muli niyang barahin.

"Go home. I don't want someone as superficial as you near Aya," anito bago ako iniwan na roon.

Pinigilan ko ang pagningas ng inis sa loob ko sa mga paratang ni Attorney. He's her father, of course, he would be very protective of her. He's the kind of man who would not be easily swayed with words alone, kaya ipapakita ko na lang sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng gawa na seryoso ako kay Aya.

"Good morning po," bati ko sa Mommy niya isang madaling araw habang hinahatiran ko sila ng ilang huli namin.

Kasalukuyan niyang dinidiligan ang mga alagang halaman malapit sa access door ng kanilang kusina nang maabutan ko.

"A, ohayou gozaimasu, Motorcycle-san," she giggled like she knew some inside joke about me.

Motorcycle-san? Iyan ba ang kuwento ni Aya tungkol sa akin sa mga magulang niya? Naisip ko bago ipinakita ang hawak na lalagyan.

"Pumalaot po kasi kami kanina. Naisip kong dalhan ng share si Aya kaya--"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Please come in... um... what was your name again? Reign, was it?"

"Kahit Ren na lang po, Ma'am. Iyon naman po ang tawag ni Aya sa akin," sagot ko.

Ngumiti ito at pinadaan ako para makapasok sa kanilang bakuran. Nag-alok akong linisin iyong mga isda bago ilagay sa loob ng kanilang freezer.

"You seemed to know our kitchen well. Hindi na nga kita kailangang sabihan kung nasaan ang mga bagay-bagay. Can I assume that you've been here a number of times already?"

Medyo kinabahan ako sa biglaang tanong nito. And although her smile was accommodating and welcoming, I could feel something dangerous behind them.

Tumango ako kahit na nagdadalawang-isip. Baka kasi mapagalitan si Aya kapag nalaman nilang ilang beses na akong nakaapak sa loob ng bahay nila. Gumaan naman ang loob ko nang muli itong ngumiti.

"I remembered the first time I saw you with her."

I heard her say as I was about to close the freezer door. Nilingon ko siya at nakitang nakadungaw sa may pinto.

"It was two years ago and Aya was still trying to open herself up to the world..." She said, a hint of melancholy on her voice.

Binalingan niya ako at muling nginitian.

"I heard from my husband you told him you love Aya."

May mumunting init ang dumaloy sa batok ko nang marinig iyon. Wala naman akong balak tumanggi.

"A, opo-"

Natigilan ako nang bigla siyang kumilos at marahas akong isinampa sa kanilang refrigerator. Itutulak ko na sana siya palayo nang maramdaman ang isang matalim na bagay sa gilid ng aking leeg.

"Listen and listen well, Reign de Jesus. Our Princess is not someone you can trample with, you hear me? Sa oras na malaman kong sinaktan mo si Aya, itatarak ko ang shuriken na ito sa ngala-ngala mo nang walang pag-aalinlangan."

Damn, why is this family so violent? Ramdam ko ang talim ng hawak niya nang idiniin niya pa iyon sa balat ko.

"Are we clear on that, Motorcycle-san?"

"Yes," I told her in a steady voice.

Sandali niya pa akong tinitigan. Nang makita niya sigurong hindi matitibag ng pananakot niya ang hangarin ko para kay Aya, maagap niya akong pinakawalan.

"Good," she sweetly smiled as I rubbed the place where that shuriken had pointed, "Now, get those cookies and bring them outside. I will tell you some things about our dear Aya that I'm sure you didn't know," she said as she walked towards their driveway like nothing happened.

つづく